


In the Shadow of Demons

by Bearfeat



Series: Lincopian Chronicles [2]
Category: Ghost (Sweden Band), Ghost (Swedish Band)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Mention of former ghouls, Satanic Church, Slow Burn, Smut, lesbian love story, mention of former papas
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-05-15 02:37:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14782061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bearfeat/pseuds/Bearfeat
Summary: The past is gone, but not forgotten. In a world where heroes and giants can die just as easily as any mortal being, the Lincopian congregation must rise from the ashes and celebrate new blood. In these times of turmoil, a cardinal must find a way to lead, a sister must find a way to hold together a church, and two ghoulettes find each other.





	1. Breeze

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story set a couple of years after On the Shoulders of Giants (https://archiveofourown.org/works/9372956/chapters/21219041). I hope to bring the same amount of fluff and thicc ass plot. I will try my best to update regularly, but hell, who am I fooling here.

It doesn’t happen often that a ghoul is born. Period. Usually, ghouls are made or ordained, but Autumn Breeze was born a ghoul. She had dark, knowing eyes like her father, and was short and swift like her other father. Nobody knew how this even happened. Yet, Breeze grew up in a world were trivial things like a female ghoul born from two male ghouls went unquestioned. Growing up, there were bigger things to worry about.

 

‘Ma’am?’ the driver said, making Breeze aware of her new surroundings. The car had stopped and she peered outside, but they were parked next to a high wall, and she could see nothing of the castle.

‘We’re here.’

‘Thank you.’ Breeze said. She had a loud voice, and she was very aware of it all of a sudden. She handed the driver the money her father had given her. The driver gave her a strange look, and then gave it back.

‘It has been taken care of.’

‘Really?’ Breeze blinked her eyes. ‘Alright…’

She stepped out, and hoisted her suitcase from the trunk. The car took off the moment she closed the door. Deep in one of the many pockets in her coat, she found the letter that had been send to her by The Clergy. Her eyes searched for the part about the taxi being paid for, but she couldn’t find it. She couldn’t focus. Her hand was shaking and her heart pumping fast. She realized where she was. She felt how unholy these grounds were. Slowly, she allowed herself to look up from the invitation.

 

The main entrance to the castle was monumental, with large, grey steps leading to a high and heavy wooden door. Around it, in the tympanum, an elaborate carving of the fall of Lucifer. The windows reached high as well, but they were slim and she could not see through it. Most of the brick façade was covered in ivy more green than she had ever seen before.

‘Fucking Hogwarts.’ She blurted. Her loud voice echoed against the miles of stone before her. Then, a sound behind her. Someone exhaled, almost as if they were grinning at her remark.

‘It actually reminded me of The Addams Family.’ The voice said. Breeze turned, and found she was now accompanied by another woman. This one seemed slightly older than her, taller. Her hair was light brown like honey and it curled at the tips. Her eyes were exactly that same color, and Breeze was a little struck by that. She, too, carried a suitcase.

‘It gives me more of an American Gothic vibe, and less medieval wizard school, if you ask me.’ She said. Her accent told her that she was from North America.

Breeze looked her up and down. She did not wear any of the clerical garments she was taught about by her ghoul family, but she also knew those garments were optional.

‘Are you a Sister of Sin?’ she asked the other. The taller woman grinned again in that same manner.

‘No.’ she sighed. ‘I’m here for the job.’

Breeze looked at the suitcases they were carrying. She reckoned everyone was told to leave their own instruments at home. Knowing she had an eye for musicians, she regarded the woman’s posture.

‘Guitar?’ she guessed, but the other didn’t seem to pick up on the question.

‘Neat!’ she exclaimed. ‘I play the keys!’

A little startled, Breeze sought for a way to address their miscommunication, when the heavy door swung open and a tall, menacing looking Sister of Sin appeared in the doorway. She looked at the two women with stern, light brown eyes. She seemed annoyed when she spoke.

 

‘Novice ghouls?’ She said, ‘I am Sister Ambrosia of the order of Lucifer. Your invitations?’

 It was quiet for a moment, but then the other woman stepped forward, handing Ambrosia her letter.

‘Pamela.’ She said. Breeze could tell how she feigned cheerfulness under the stern gaze of the sister. ‘For the position of Air ghoul.’

Nothing about Ambrosia seemed welcoming or kind, and so the smile quickly faded from Pamela’s face. The sister pointed her chin, and the novice ghoul stepped inside.

‘Autumn Breeze.’ Breeze said with confidence as she handed Ambrosia her letter. ‘For the position of  Air ghoul.’ She saw the other woman look even more devastated than before.

 

‘You can hang your coat.’ Ambrosia said coldly. ‘Follow me.’

Without waiting for the novice ghouls, she marched into the great hall. Pamela had decided to hang her coat, but Breeze, placing no trust in her short legs, did not want to fall behind and quickly followed the sister.

‘Autumn Breeze?’ Pamela hissed to her when she caught up to them. ‘You are the daughter of the Air ghoul? _The_ AirGhoul?’

‘And the Earth ghoul.’ Breeze replied. ‘ _An_ Earth ghoul, I guess.’

‘I didn’t mean to-’

‘It’s fine.’ Breeze smiled. ‘I was actually excited to see another gal would join the band. It sucks that we seem to be competing for the same job.’

‘Some competition.’ Pamela replied, sadness in her voice. ‘You are already a ghoul, and the daughter of a legend. Two legends.’ She quickly corrected herself. Breeze just looked at her. She wasn’t sure if that legacy would mean anything here. Bloodlines were meant to be broken nowadays. Or so she was told. Sister Ambrosia led them to what seemed to be a chapel. The doors opened and she let them in. Both women held their breath as they stepped inside, and in a rush of panicked excitement they grabbed each other’s hand.

‘So, legend junior.’ Pamela whispered. ‘Did your dads give you any advice on how to survive a job interview at medieval wizard school?’

 

Breeze saw how the church was empty, except for the first two rows. The faces of five men turned to look at the two women approaching. Behind the altar sat a man so ancient he could be none other than Papa Emeritus Nihil. Breeze had heard of him, but knowing how old he was she had not expected him to be here today. Next to him sat a man she did not recognize. He wore the black vestments and the biretta of a cardinal. His eyes lay deep in their black sockets, and his thin mustache moved, as if he was practicing lines. Breeze’s gaze landed on the third person behind the altar, a woman about whom she had heard many stories. Sister Imperator stared back at her, as if she could read her mind.

 

‘Fear no one.’ Breeze answered.


	2. Copia

_The cardinal fumbled a note in his right hand. It was the sister’s handwriting, Sister Imperator’s. It told him to meet her and Papa Nihil on the first floor of the main house. A novice had pressed the note into his hand, and disappeared again as quickly as she had come. He put down the boombox he had been resting on his shoulder, but leaving it in the hallway seemed odd. He hesitated. Bring it or leave it? He was just listening to slow, epic music, a soundtrack to his walk. It had made him stand a little more straight. Walk with purpose._

_He would bring it._

 

‘Copia, this is poor form.’ Sister Ailin looked at her feet, but the carinal knew that her dark eyes were big and earnest. ‘You cannot campaign for the papal position. What must the other cardinals think?’

‘No, that’s not it!’ the cardinal was a little out of breath, hardly containing his excitement. He had left his boombox at the door. ‘They, eh… they told me I am being considered for the papal office. The sister did. Sister Imperator!’

He reached for her hand, but then let his arms fall to his sides again. He clutched his fists. The sudden movement made her eyes grow even bigger. She looked at him, her blue hair no longer obscuring her face, the deep black of her irises shimmering. She didn’t seem to have aged a day since they met. The lines underneath her black lashes never running deeper than the moment he first laid eyes on her. He could only guess how old she was, because she was never able to tell him. Her kind was prone to forget such trivial things and she usually waived people’s interest by telling them it’s not nice to make a lady feel ancient. Yet, her girlish face and her soft voice made Copia feel like the older one, like the one in constant decay. He felt like apologizing, he felt that constantly. For his impish mind and his fading body.

 

‘She can do that?’ Ailin whispered, saving him from his existential spiral. ‘Should the cardinals not go into conclave?’

Cardinal Copia felt the corners of his mouth fall ‘A conclave?’ he said, his heavy accent complementing the word. He knew she found his accent charming. ‘How did you-’

‘Sister Ambrosia mentioned to the sisters that there hasn’t been a conclave before because succession was dictated by the bloodline. But now…’

‘The b-b-bloodline is broken,’ the Cardinal protested, ‘…but Papa Nihil is still here. He, eh… could appoint…’

‘Can he?’ She wondered aloud.

‘Yes.’ It sounded like a question.

‘I don’t know if he can enter the conclave, since he isn’t a cardinal. I know he outranks the cardinals, but a conclave should-’

‘He… he gave me his dark blessing…’ Copia remembered Nihil’s hands hovering over his head, the words of the blessing still ringing in his ears.

The sister started a new counter argument, but she stopped when she noticed the cardinal lose his posture.

‘You really want this, don’t you?’ She whispered to him. When Copia didn’t answer, she reached for his biretta. At first, she meant to straighten it, but then she changed her mind. She took the biretta in hand and ran her fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes.

 

‘You’ve worked so hard.’ She said softly.

‘Second most employee of the- of the month.’ Copia mumbled.

‘Second most employee of the month.’ Sister replied. ‘The cardinals would be mad not to elect you.’

Slowly, Copia looked up. ‘They never warmed to me.’

‘Fuck them.’ Sister Ailin cooed. ‘They don’t have to love you. They just have to be smart.’ She drew sigils and spells on his scalp. Again, the cardinal seemed to have lost control of his breathing. He pondered telling her how she made him feel when she did things like that. Even after all these years, there was a constant fear of losing her. A fear of waking up from this dream and being all alone again. Even when she was standing right here, in the chambers they shared, touching him like that, it felt like she was slipping through his fingers.

‘Ailin.’ He said softly, the only word that ever made it past his lips without a stutter or a second thought. He would have professed his love for her once more, if something more urgent wasn’t pressing on his mind. ‘The new ghouls are arriving tomorrow. I have to welcome them to the grounds and castle of Lincopia. I, eh… I have to welcome them.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, short chapter for now. But we need to move this story along.


	3. Pamela

Pamela held the smaller hand of Autumn Breeze until they reached the second row of benches. To their left sat a young man, who looked at her with kind, dark brown eyes. He recognized the fear she felt too, and she decided she liked this young man right away. Pam smiled back at him when he gave her a charming grin, teeth a light contrast to his dark skin. His energy was so inviting that she couldn’t help but pull Autumn with her to sit next to him on the wooden bench.

First, she wanted to introduce the both of them, but the Cardinal sitting behind the altar stood up. It was an abrupt movement, and his chair slid back over the tiles, making such a nasty sound that every person there grimaced. The man looked horrified.

 

‘Eh…’ He said. Then a complete silence fell over the chapel. The Cardinal clasped his hands together, opened his mouth, but said nothing. He looked at the older Sister next to him for reassurance, but the lady pursed her lips, grey eyebrows high.

‘Eh…’ he said again. Breeze shuffled uncomfortably on the bench next to her. Pam could feel the warmth of her hand close to her. Finally, the Cardinal had found his voice.

‘I have been given t-t-the g…great honor to welcome you today, eh… novice ghouls and ghoulettes.’ It was very uneasy to watch. The man seemed nervous, painfully so, and the Papa and Sister next two him seemed two dark statues, nearly rolling their eyes at his awkward energy. They looked as if they were parents with clenched buttocks, whispering through their teeth to their son to not embarrass them.

‘So…. So, welcome.’ The Cardinal spread his arms and nodded his head to the people sitting on the benches. Pam would’ve exchanged a look with Breeze, if she wasn’t so nervous herself. The eyes of the old sister seemed to be everywhere, and she immediately feared her, despite Breeze’s warning. The Cardinal sighed.

 

‘My name is Cardinal Copia.’ He bowed his head slightly and opened his hand, gesturing to the woman next to him. ‘This is Sister Imperator, matriarch of the congregation, and mother regent until a new Papa Emeritus is… found.’ He almost didn’t pronounce the last word. Pamela looked at the sister, but her grey eyes burned into her, and she had to look away.

‘This is Papa Emeritus Nihil.’ Cardinal Copia continued. He dropped his hand then. Pam felt how everyone expected the man to elaborate, but he did not. The old pope just sat there, no sign of life behind his dead eyes.

‘As you may… or may not… know, Ghost has been preparing for entering a new, eh… era.’

Breeze’s hand balled into a fist. Pamela wondered why.

‘A new Papa is still being…’ the silence that fell than was much longer than the ones he had been dropping between words. Copia’s eyes shot through the room, and he parted and closed his lips, as if he was tasting different words, trying out which fitted best. His mustache danced, pained.

‘A new Papa is still being selected.’ He finally chose, but he didn’t seem pleased with it. ‘Since the ending of the age of M-Meliora is more rigorous…’

Breeze huffed and crossed her arms.

‘What happened to Papa?’ she whispered to Breeze, but the ghoul shook her head.

‘… not only do we need a new Papa, we also need new… new ghouls.’ He spread his arms again. ‘If you are sitting here before me today, that means that you all are, eh… being considered for the job. The p-p-process of selection deemed you all worthy, and we would love to have you.’

Pamela’s mouth fell open. This sounded like she was already in. Like she wouldn’t have to battle her new friend for the job. Surely, this wasn’t the case. The band had always been no more than five ghouls at a time. Did the Cardinal mean _all_ ghouls were to be replaced? She tried to sense if the others on the benches had picked up on this, but she noticed no reaction in them. Maybe she had been wrong.

‘Before the final… decision is made.’ Copia continued, ‘we…we need to ensure there is… chemistry.’ He was talking more slowly, as if he was running out of words. The man seemed exhausted. Pam wondered why he would ever volunteer for public speaking.

‘This means there will be a dinner, a jam session, a-a-and if all goes well… an inauguration.’ Cardinal Copia leaned his hands on the altar, suddenly deep in thought. Some of the tension broke in the chapel, and Pam finally found the courage to look around. Breeze’s eyes were big, and she looked a little puzzled. Next to her, the young man with the kind eyes caught her glance, and his lips formed the word ‘wow’. Pam didn’t know if this regarded the news that they were all much further through the selection process than they anticipated, or the intense discomfort the Cardinal oozed.  Some movement behind the altar, and the attention of the novice ghouls was caught again.

 

The older sister stood up, chair making the same ear-shattering noise as before, but she paid it no mind. She placed a hand on the back of the Cardinal, and whispered something in his ear.

‘Oh!’ The man exclaimed. ‘T-thank you, eh, your dark excellency. Ehm…’ he looked around. ‘You need names. Ghoul names.’ Did a shadow of a smile dance over his face? ‘As you know, ghouls are… created.  Ordained, rather. There are exceptions, of course…’ it was clear that his eyes sought Breeze, but as he let his gaze wander the chapel, Pam realized he had no idea which of them was ghoul-born.

‘Isn’t there one of you…’ he seemed more insecure now, and visibly relieved when Breeze lifted her hand, casually wiggling her fingers at him.

‘Ah!’ he acknowledged her. ‘Miss ghoul. Welcome!’

Autumn Breeze squeaked a reply, and the Cardinal’s cheeks turned a little red. He seemed to want to swallow his words again, strangely taken aback by that interaction.

‘Eh, yes. Ghouls are ordained. We need you to name yourselves.’ He cleared his throat. ‘And we need you to be willing to sacrifice your human name.’ His voice got darker and his eyes seemed to be sinking deeper into their sockets. A calmness fell over him now, and he actually sought eye contact with the novice ghouls. ‘As long as you are at the service of The Clergy, you condemn who you are outside these walls. You need to understand what you choose if you accept the honor of being made a ghoul. You are only here today because you are loyal to the One Below, and while you are with us, you will serve something greater than yourself. In His name, you will name yourselves. Understand what this means.’ Slowly, he sat back down.

 

Pamela swallowed hard. The Cardinal had not stuttered once during his final words. There was no time to let them sink in, because Sister Imperator stood up again, now to speak.

‘More pleasantries will follow later, once you are all settled in nicely.’ Her voice was more high-pitched than Pam expected, and she couldn’t quite place the accent. It seemed as if the sister tried to sound friendly, but there was such a profound coldness in her face that the novice ghoul wasn’t convinced. The sister pointed at the large, wooden doors in the back of the chapel, where that other scary women from moments ago had appeared again.

 

‘Sister Ambrosia will lead you to the Main House, where you will be appointed to your chambers. We’ll see each other soon.’

 

As the sister sat down, all the novice ghouls looked around.

‘Oh.’ The man next to her said aloud. This was it. A dozen questions ran through Pamela’s mind, but suddenly everyone was in a hurry to get to the door.

‘If she is the mother regent, how come that cardinal welcomed us?’ she hissed. Breeze didn’t answer, because they were surrounded by the others now, and Ambrosia stood tall and menacing and could probably hear them. They all followed her outside. Pam felt like a child, walking behind her.

 

‘All your luggage has been taken care of.’ Sister Ambrosia said without looking back at them.

‘Hey.’ Suddenly that young man with the nice eyes was walking next to Pam. ‘I would introduce myself, but since we are to denounce our names soon, I see no use in that.’ He smiled and looked very joyous saying it, as if he was joking. He held out his hand.

‘It is nice to meet you.’ His teeth shone. Pam could feel his positive energy, and she couldn’t help but smile back at him.

‘It is!’ she replied. ‘I am here for the position of Air ghoul.’ Her smile faltered. ‘And so is she.’ She pointed her chin at Breeze.

‘Autumn Breeze.’ The woman told him, shaking his hand too. ‘I already have a ghoul name, so it’s cool if you know it.’ She winked. Pamela almost rolled her eyes. Not because she was annoyed with Breeze, but because she seemed so cool and unbothered by all this.

 

‘Ah, I’ve heard about you!’ The man said. ‘I am here for the position of Aether ghoul, but I’m more a jack-of-all-trades, really.’ He quickly looked at the back of the tall sister in front of them, and then whispered: ‘So, are _all_ the ghouls being replaced?’

Before either of the women could answer, Sister Ambrosia turned around. Pamela didn’t know why, but she seemed to be fuming with anger, and her eyes were even darker than before. When she spoke, she nearly spat the words, pushing them through clenched teeth.

 

‘During your stay here you are _respected_ and _respectable_ guests on these unholy grounds. You are here because you are deemed worthy by the One Below.’ The ghouls-to-be collectively held their breath at all that sudden intensity.

‘If _anything_ happens,’ Ambrosia hissed, ‘that makes you feel like this is _not_ your home, you come to _me_.’ Her cheeks burned red, and her brown eyes were glossy, and it was clear she needed them to really hear her.

‘And by Satan.’ She said. ‘Do not go looking for trouble.’


End file.
